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Mar 29, 2012

Disclaimer:
All reviews are the result of my personal opinion from a Christian
stand-point. These reviews are provided for those who share my beliefs
and morals, to help guide what fiction a reader may wish to pick up. For
those who do not share these beliefs, please refrain from hateful
comments. It is due to rude commenting that I must now include this note
prior to all reviews. For more information, visit my purpose behind this blog. Thank you for your understanding..

Note: This is not a post about "Well the book had this, but the movie didn't!" This is giving a review of the book and movie in relation to "appropriateness".

I'll admit, I obsessed slightly over the movie--reading the magazines in the store, watching every new video clip, gripping my husband's hand every time I saw a poster, learning every trivia fact about each actress or actor. So naturally, I felt the need to re-read the book before seeing the movie. I wanted to solidify my imagined-version of The Hunger Games before inserting the movie into my memory. In doing so, I found myself with a more developed opinion and point of view than with my first review of the Hunger Games.

Here it is:

THE BOOK

The Story

Katniss Everdeen lives in District 12--one of the 12 Districts remaining after the downfall of the world from natural disasters. She's fought to put food on the table for her family since she was eleven years old. The new government--the Capitol--runs the districts and the people in them, controlling them through withholding food, limiting freedom, and through holding The Hunger Games every year.

The Hunger Games are a way to remind the people of the Capitol's control. Each district is forced to relinquish a boy and a girl between the ages of 12 and 18, called "tributes", to battle to the death in a giant arena. Twenty-four total tributes. Only one can win, which means 23 must die. Oh yes, and it's broadcasted to the world like a sickening, modern-day Colosseum.

The only person Katniss knows she really loves is her 12-year-old sister, Prim, so when it's a choice between herself and Prim dying in the Hunger Games, she steps forward and dooms her future to being a part of the nation's largest and most popular yearly bloodbath. Not only that, but the boy that she's going to be fighting from her district saved her life four years earlier.

The difficulty of Katniss's life is portrayed so perfectly through her point of view--the way she thinks, the things she notices, the things she fears...it all matches and forms her character perfectly. Every choice that she makes is consistent with the knowledge that she's gained through her lifestyle.

My Opinion

It was very different reading this a second time through. I still teared up at the same moments and admired Katniss's character, but I really saw the depressing side of the story in a new light. This book leaves you desperately grasping for any tiny measure of hope. You don't get it at the end. What's worse, is that the reader never gets hope through the entire series. It's only waiting and hoping...hoping for something good, something redeeming, something that will bring some sort of restoration. It never comes. Even in fighting for goodness, no goodness ever arrives.

It's a powerful series about the hopelessness of war, the cruelty and selfishness of mankind, and the dark side of life--life void of God. The hope that I pull out of this series is thankfulness that life isn't really like that. It's not like that for me because I know that I have God who's given my life a purpose (Jeremiah 29:11-14).

There is no hopelessness in God. But in The Hunger Games series, there is no hope...because God is not in them. The story is considered raw and real (even though it's futuristic) because that is the type of future that people face without God. I'm not trying to say that "hope in God" is Suzanne Collin's message, it's just what I see after reading the series again.

Romance. The romance is not the main focus of this book and never is through the entire series. There is a love triangle, but it's not typical. Katniss's focus is on survival, not love. There are moment when she starts actually contemplating love--it's something she's never really thought about.

There is a lot of kissing in one portion of the book, but it remains very clear-cut and clean. She shares a sleeping bag with a boy a few times solely for the sake of keeping warm. During the prep time, Katniss is stripped of her clothes and her body is surveyed by her stylist. He remains purely professional, but even the reader feels Katniss's awkwardness. There is also a moment when Katniss is stripping Peeta's clothes off because of an injury--she admits to herself that she's embarrassed to see him naked and makes sure he has a cloth to cover himself so that she doesn't have to.

Disturbing Images: I felt like this was a better category instead of violence. The violence is prominent--24 kids are fighting to the death, there's going to be violence whether you like it or not. If you go into this book hoping for no violence, you should expect to be upset.

Some of the more described moments of violence may be something that stick in a reader's head--especially a reader with a good imagination. I'm 25 and the images are in my head, undoubtedly permanent. A boy gets stabbed in the back and coughs blood onto Katniss's face; there are multiple "agonized screams" throughout the book when another tribute is killed; there is a moment when Katniss is having hallucinations of ants crawling all over her body--inside her mouth and eyes, burning and biting. She also hallucinates that human skin peels off of another tribute's body whenever she touches her.

A tribute gets stabbed with a spear, another gets her head bashed in by a stone, also, Katniss shoots a boy in the neck with an arrow and he drowns in his own blood. Possibly the most disturbing scene is at the end when a boy is being mauled, slowly and tortuously, by ferocious beasts for hours on end. He's finally silenced with an arrow through his skull.

This. Is. A. Violent. Book.

So why do I like it so much? I've examined my thinking quite a lot and still have few concrete answers. I love the depth of the characters, I admire the intricacies of the dystopian world created, I think that the plot-line is delivered in a very original way (even though there are similar books out there like Battle Royale), and I can see the power behind this book. I love reading original stories and I love seeing characters with passion. It's the writer-side of me that loves this book. The reader-side of me is a bit more hesitant. I'm also a happy-ending type of person. I don't like being depressed or feeling hopeless.

I do, however, like to think--think about life, contemplate new ideas that an author might be sending. If you're a serious reader, the Hunger Games will make you think. But that's not good enough for me to recommend a book. I can't recommend it, yet I also can't say "steer clear". In the case of The Hunger Games, I will have to leave it up to your own discretion, to pull from my review a decision for yourself.

I will say, however, that I do not think it is appropriate for young readers. "Young" meaning under 16 years of age or so. I see kids in elementary-school reading it after school while waiting for the bus. Even though something in me loves the books, I still want to rip it out of their hands and scream, "Wait a few more years! You don't need this in your mind yet!".

Why? Because they're powerful.

I want to acknowledge Collin's incredible imagination and notable skill in writing. I, in no way, want to "bash on her". I know that she's very popular and her books are the newest rage. I'm one of her admirers and I hope to cause no dissent, but I can't turn a blind eye to the bitter message that darkens over the course of the series.

THE MOVIE

I've never seen a movie so accurately depict a book before.There were direct lines from the book, hardly any alterations, and it was delivered in a way that still made sense to those who hadn't read the book (or so my husband says). I was deeply impressed by Lionsgate (I'll admit, I'd had my doubts) and have further faith in them for the production of future movies.

My opinion after reading the book before the movie: I thought Hunger Games was far less violent than the book (graphic-wise).

My husband's opinion from watching the movie without reading the book: he found it more violent than he expected.

Even with what I believed to be less violence, the movie was intense. The strongest point of the movie was the beginning--the Reaping. After that, once Katniss entered the games, I feel like the movie settled into more of a generic action film. It lost something, but I don't think the loss was avoidable. I think because of the frequency of action films in our culture today, we're a bit immune when it comes to "intensity" or action. I don't think it was possible to give the movie the same deep feel as the book. For some, this is a good thing.

I enjoyed the beginning of the movie the most and I breathed a small sigh of relief at the end. As I'd hoped, the filmmakers closed the film with a bit more hope--at least a couple smiles. I'm glad they didn't leave it like the book: hopeless and depressing.

Also, there was less "romantic" emphasis than I'd expected, which was nice, and the physical moments mentioned in the book (Katniss being naked before her stylist, her stripping Peeta of his clothes, and both of them sharing a sleeping bag) were all excluded. The driving force behind the movie is drama, violence, and survival.

In any case, all the same deaths took place. The bloodbath at the beginning showed more than I would have thought for a PG-13 movie. It was pushing R, and actually...I think to accurately include everything from the book it would have had to been rated R. The ending with the muttations was tamed down from the book--thank heavens! In fact, the movie version was a little cheesy, but still scary. I'm glad because I found that to be one of the most disturbing moments of the book.

A note on violence: I wouldn't dare to say whether or not the violence is too high or not for a teen--that opinion is solely subjective and depends on how much violence that teen is exposed to on a daily basis through life, movies, books, etc. But let me pose a question for the parents:

Do you encourage your child to read the Bible?

Random question, perhaps, but think about the violence in the Bible. There is slaughter of men, women, and children. There are graphic deaths/murders (just read 1 & 2 Samuel!) that get into detail (think of Ehud stabbing the king, Jael hammering a tent peg into Sisera's skull, Haman hanging on the gallows, Joab murdering Amasa who wallowed in his own blood, etc.). The Bible gets graphic, too. We encourage our children to "dig into the Word", yet seethe at the idea of fictional violence.

I think it's notable to say we don't want to be I-M-M-U-N-E. We don't want to be blind to violence, we don't want our children to be blind to the real world (or do we?), but we don't want to be immune to violence.

A note on swearing: There were a few swear words in the film like "d***" and "h***. I can honestly say that they added to the intensity and were used in the moment so strategically that I almost didn't notice them. Also, I think this falls into the same category as my comment on violence. These same words are in the Bible. I think it's safe to ask, are we going to black out every "swear" word in the Bible to protect our kids? Just food for thought...

I can't cut-and-dry this movie into a review of good vs. bad. I can't just look at the logistics of The Hunger Games in movie form. There is so much to this novel and movie; I can't just review it as if I'm commenting on the quality of a slice of pie.

Jennifer Lawrence's portrayal of Katniss was phenomenal. Before I even saw the movie I just started thinking of her as Katniss. Her grimaces, lip trembles, gasps, and voice breaks portrayed all the feelings that the book took an entire page to describe. Her acting pole-vaulted far past "up-to-par".
.

Overall, the movie was very very well done. I was pleased and felt more rest and satisfaction at the end of it than I did at the end of the book. It was also very thought-provoking. I don't know anyone who's read the books and come out of them with a strong opinion. I would love to hear more of these opinions below! Here are some questions to spur on some response:

Did you enjoy the Hunger Games (movie or book)? Why or why not?

Do you think the violence is too excessive?

If you're a believer in Christ, would you ever recommend this book? Why or why not?

And of course--if you've read the book and seen the movie, how did the two compare?

p.s. I found this review by Christianity Today rather fabulous. Everything I would have liked to say.

Nadine Brandes is an adventurer, fusing authentic faith with bold imagination. She writes stories about brave living, finding purpose, and other worlds soaked in imagination. Her debut dystopian novel, A Time to Die, releases 2014 from Marcher Lord Press, the premier publisher of Christian speculative fiction. When Nadine's not taste-testing a new chai or editing fantasy novels, she is out pursuing adventures. She currently lives in Idaho with her husband. You can find out more about Nadine and her books at http://nadinebrandes.com.

Mar 12, 2012

Disclaimer:
All reviews are the result of my personal opinion from a Christian
stand-point. These reviews are provided for those who share my beliefs
and morals, to help guide what fiction a reader may wish to pick up. For
those who do not share these beliefs, please refrain from hateful
comments. It is due to rude commenting that I must now include this note
prior to all reviews. For more information, visit my purpose behind this blog. Thank you for your understanding.

Summary:Intended Age-Group: 14+Issues of Violence: War violence Intimacy Level: Kissing on a more passionate levelSwearing: a brief mention of a rude hand gestureRecommendation: 3 out of 5 stars.

How could I ignore the requests, the temptation, and the pleasant blue color of Ally Condie's newest release, Crossed? This is the continuation of Matched and I picked it up as soon as it arrived at the library.

Summary:
Cassia is headed toward the Outer Provinces in search for Ky against all odds--the attack of the Enemy, the ploys of the Society, and the deathly embrace of the unknown land. She sacrifices emotional keepsakes for information and leaves her family behind. When her adventures take her into the Carving--a canyon of poisoned rivers and death--the obstacles only seem to grow. She's faced with starvation, exhaustion, and doubt on where to go.

Meanwhile, Ky is trying to survive the harsh 60-day-death-sentence, working and burying the dead in the Outer Provinces. No one has survived 60 days yet. He has to. He must, because he needs to return to Cassia. He makes an impossible escape attempt during an attack from the Enemy and battles memories of his childhood as he tromps across familiar wasteland.

Initial Reaction:*****
It was difficult for me to jump back into the story after the year gap and I found myself wishing I'd re-read Matched. There was very little, if any re-cap in Crossed and I felt a bit lost at the beginning. I picked it up hoping for more action and more depth than Matched. While Matched was interesting, it remained quite slow moving. Sadly, Crossed didn't pick up very much. Though there is more action, the book is more dominated by inner thoughts, musings, poems, and descriptions. The description-style is written well, just not in the same alley of my preference.

Characters:*****
We enter into both Cassia's and Ky's heads this round. I can see how they are growing; however, I felt like they weren't the same characters from Matched. Ky seemed more hardened and grown up, while Cassia seemed much more in tune with "the real world" than she was in book 1. It's nice that she puts two-and-two together faster (in most cases), but it's out of character. Also, it was very difficult to distinguish between who's head I was in. Each chapter says clearly, "Cassia" or "Ky" at the beginning, but I wanted to recognize their voices and I couldn't.

Try as I might to push past it, the characters just had too much of a
lack of believability. I couldn't relate to them. So many actions/re-actions just didn't seem
human. When Ky declares the one thing he won't do for Cassia, she's not
shocked or sad or hurt or stunned...she just has a "softened look"
because she can see that he's hurting. I understand that there's a
softness in Cassia, but there should also be human desire and reaction
in her. We just don't see it. Both Ky and she don't seem to have
many natural responses. Even when Cassia is practically drowning in the
rapids of a poisoned river, she's reminiscing about swimming with Ky and
Xander back when they were kids. I couldn't help but wonder, "Why isn't she thinking, I need air! I need help! How do I survive?"

Pacing:*****
The action picks up around the 3/4 mark of the book. I read a bit faster to see how they escaped, to discover the "secrets" about specific characters, to see if Society showed up, and to see if the Rising was real. I connected with some characters in some moments, but all in all the flow of the book left me disappointed.

Plot: *****
A lot of plot-progress takes place through "coincidence". All the right clues fall into Cassia's and Ky's hands in the perfect order as they tromp through the Carving. I found the clues and coincidences over the top when Ky finds a pamphlet that explains the history of the Rebellion. It felt like an information dump and provided too much information (such as the Rebellion's password, where the Rebellion is located, and a "title" for the Rebellion's leader). Even though he supposedly "knew" this information already, it was a little too clear-cut.

Clean Content:*****Crossed follows the same level of "appropriateness" as Matched did. It remains clean--there's no swearing or high-level intimacy. The violence level stays rather tame. A few characters die, but the reader doesn't see it happen. A lot of dead characters are "found" by Cassia or Ky. There's mention of bombs and bodies flying. There is blood on Ky's hands and on some dead bodies, but it's really not graphic. There's a brief hint of possible suicide, but nothing more.

Desire to Read More: *****
The end of the book leaves no excitement or desire for book three. It all seems very sporadic and a month's worth of time passes over the course of a couple chapters. Instead of wanting to read more, I was left feeling even more cut-off from the characters with no desire to see the end of the story.

Spiritual Content:*****
On the God-front, there's a single mention of God and it's just in reference to a man's wife and child believing in more than just life on earth. There's nothing more--the focus on "love" and the purpose of life is folded into Ky's and Cassia's relationship. Life without each other supposedly isn't life at all. I can understand the strength behind the emotion of love, but Cassia's and Ky's love jumped from "blossoming desire" in Matched to passionate, life-sacrificing, no-doubts-whatsoever love in Crossed. It felt forced and unrealistic.

Overall Recommendation:*****
I recommend the book to younger readers looking for a small taste of dystopian fiction, mostly because of it's clean content and appropriateness despite the bland areas.

Nadine Brandes is an adventurer, fusing authentic faith with bold imagination. She writes stories about brave living, finding purpose, and other worlds soaked in imagination. Her debut dystopian novel, A Time to Die, released September 2014 fromEnclave Publishing. When Nadine's not taste-testing a new chai or editing fantasy novels, she is out pursuing adventures. She currently lives in Idaho with her husband. You can find out more about Nadine and her books at http://nadinebrandes.com.

Mar 7, 2012

Reactions around the world range from instant ecstasy to raging fury. I imagine her publishing company toasting sparkly drinks with bookstores, already planning what to do with the explosive income headed their way. I envision Rowling-haters screaming NOOOOO!! and spending five straight days hating on her name and writing via Twitter, blogging, Facebook, and forums. I laugh at the thought of Harry Potter lovers stand on hilltops and yelling, "HARRY POTTER 8!"

But only one juicy piece of information has been released concerning this new novel: it's aimed for adults.

What does that mean? Longer? Rougher? Less playful? Will it even be fantasy? Fiction? It could be her autobiography. It could be a murder mystery. It could be a documentary-style book on the history of butterflies. We don't know, yet many are already judging and predicting. One thing is for sure, it's J. K. Rowling stepping out in battered armor, stomping her foot, and shouting, "It's going to be different than Harry Potter."

Aka. Don't compare.

I am very happy for the reading world, yet my empathy for J. K. Rowling is bittersweet. I'm am overjoyed that she is taking the brave step to continue writing. She is delving back into the passion that inevitably arises when creating worlds and characters; however, the comparison is unavoidable. Many many readers will compare whatever comes from her fingers against Harry Potter. It's impossible for Rowling to start with a blank slate. Writing after fame is, in my opinion, a much harder and braver step than writing a debut novel and offering it to the public with a plea for acceptance.

I grow a little nervous at the thought of this world of opinionated readers eating up my book if the Lord puts it on the shelves. But I would shake even more if my book was compared to my previous success. What if it doesn't measure up? What if it disappoints the world? What if it's completely different than the first book?

The fickleness of readers could change Rowling's entire reputation. Wow, Joanne Rowling changed my childhood with her Harry Potter books, but she went downhill in her later years of writing. That would be such a shame. She never expected to be great. She only desperately wanted to share her imagination with others. Humans want to share beauty.

So here's to J. K. Rowling, an author who's repeatedly offered her heart in book-form and is doing it once more for the sake of writing-passion and imagination. May she never stop.

Nadine Brandes is an adventurer, fusing authentic faith with bold imagination. She writes stories about brave living, finding purpose, and other worlds soaked in imagination. Her debut dystopian novel, A Time to Die, releases 2014 from Marcher Lord Press, the premier publisher of Christian speculative fiction. When Nadine's not taste-testing a new chai or editing fantasy novels, she is out pursuing adventures. She currently lives in Idaho with her husband. You can find out more about Nadine and her books at http://nadinebrandes.com.

Mar 1, 2012

Disclaimer:
All reviews are the result of my personal opinion from a Christian
stand-point. These reviews are provided for those who share my beliefs
and morals, to help guide what fiction a reader may wish to pick up. For
those who do not share these beliefs, please refrain from hateful
comments. It is due to rude commenting that I must now include this note
prior to all reviews. For more information, visit my purpose behind this blog. Thank you for your understanding.

Summary:Intended Age-Group: 12+Issues of Violence: Some war violence, painful scenes like breaking a leg, and euthanasia-of-sortsIntimacy Level: NonexistentSwearing: noneRecommendation: 4 out of 5 stars

Last post I said I'd flip a quarter to see which book I'd read next. The contestants? Victor Hugo's, Les Miserables, and Ally Condie's, Crossed. To the shock of the judges, the quarter landed on edge and I found myself instead, between the pages of Lois Lowry's, The Giver.

Summary:
I've seen the cover of The Giver on shelves for several years. For some reason, it always made me think of a book about the Jewish Holocaust. Imagine my surprise when I was instead surrounded by a dystopian society with a twelve year old boy named Jonas.

Jonas confesses his apprehension about his upcoming ceremony of Twelve,
where he will be given his assignment for life--his job and purpose for
the society. Will he marry? Will he be a doctor? Will he be a low-down
Laborer? When he receives his assignment, it's nothing like what he
expected (though he didn't really know what he expected except that this was not it). And he suddenly finds himself set apart from all society in ways he never imagined.

Initial Reaction: *****
The book starts off with establishing the system of society and Jonas's relationship with his family. I enjoyed the portrayal of the government/society because it seemed more realistic than some other modern dystopian societies. The government wasn't heartless or all-controlling. There was still room for mistakes, jokes, and personal preferences.

Characters: *****
I love Jonas's character in this book, one trait in particular--the fact that he wants justice. Not a "I-want-to-shoot-up-the-world-because-it's-unfair" type of justice, but a justice that comes from wanting everyone to see and experience the world and life the way that it was meant to be. He comes to appreciate life and how life was created. Once he sees what he's missed out on during his 12 years, he wants the rest of society to see it, too.

Plot:*****
Jonas's "assignment"
makes him endure pain from past and present experiences. He is thrust
into situations of war (just memories, not real life) and witnesses the
death of young boys his age. He experiences pain of loss, mourning,
breaking of bones. He sees what life was like when family and holidays
and love still existed, but now it's all gone. It's emotionally taxing
and painful on him, but also a bit trying on the reader. It certainly
stirred my thoughts in the area of how precious life and love are.

The way life is conveyed through this book -- the things we experience every day -- was a beautifully new perspective. I really enjoyed discovering emotions and colors and life through Jonas's innocent eyes, though it was often sad.

Overall, I enjoyed this book until the end. The ending was abrupt and
very unfulfilling. I was severely disappointed to be left without
closure, but the climax at the end was still thrilling. I suppose some
would argue that Lowry leaves the ending up to your imagination. There
are times when I like that and times when I don't. This time, I didn't. However, I've been told there is a second book, so I won't lose hope yet! :)

Spiritual Elements: *****
There aren't any Christian elements to the story. The citizens of this world view the government as a type of god. They don't worship it, but they trust that it never makes mistakes, it always has the best in mind for everyone, and it is the only "leader" that can make the perfect choices for people.

Other: Jonas has a dream that ushers in what are called "Stirrings". Stirrings are, what I've come to understand, romantic desire. The dream is of Jonas with another girl his age. He wants her to take off her clothes so he can bathe her like they do to the elderly in the House of Old, but she won't do it. He expresses to his family in the morning how confusing and embarrassing the wanting feeling was. It remains appropriate and really touches the topic from the view of a young boy suddenly developing romantic interest and desire.

Another incident to take not of is in the early chapters of the book when Jonas is using his volunteer hours. He helps with "The Old" (elderly people) at a type of care facility. One of the duties is washing the elderly. Jonas's thoughts are included about "nakedness". It is illegal to look upon another's nakedness unless it is a newborn child or an elderly person who is being bathed. Jonas thinks about how he likes the openness and the freedom of not having to hide the nakedness. Everything stays appropriate and no physical details are included.

There
are also incidents of controlled killings. I'm not sure what else to
say about them. If a baby is born imperfect or they have too many
children born in one year, the government inserts a needle into the
baby's skull and injects a lethal liquid. The same is done for those who
are too old to continue. It's rather morbid once it's discovered and
very disturbing when done with emotionless and impassive "doctors".

Overall Recommendation:

I would recommend this book simply because I found it educational in the progress of novels and enlightening. It is extremely well known for winning multiple awards (e.g., Newberry Medal.) With my recent obsession with dystopian novels, I found this book right up my alley.

Nadine Brandes is an adventurer, fusing authentic faith with bold imagination. She writes stories about brave living, finding purpose, and other worlds soaked in imagination. Her debut dystopian novel, A Time to Die, released September 2014 fromEnclave Publishing. When Nadine's not taste-testing a new chai or editing fantasy novels, she is out pursuing adventures. She currently lives in Idaho with her husband. You can find out more about Nadine and her books at http://nadinebrandes.com.

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How would you live if you knew the day you'd die? In a world where everyone has a Clock showing their day of death, Parvin Blackwater tries to find purpose in her last year alive. But will she defy the authorities to find it?